Feast of Presentation, 2025

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Image: detail from Simeon's Song of Praise, Rembrandt, shamelessly pinched from Wiki

If I wanted to I could wish you "Merry Christmas" one more time, because after Candlemas, no matter how you slice it, Christmas is really, truly past and we've a brief sputtering of Ordinary Time before Lent is upon us. 

Here's a pretty cool thread from one Fr. Joseph Hudson about how Luke's account of the Presentation shows how Christ fulfills an Isaiah-an prophesy. 

Happy Epiphany, 2025!

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Image: Adoration of the Magi (unfinished), Leonardo DaVinci, shamelessly pinched from here.


A little BXVI Epiphany homily for reflection (from 2013): 

Let us return to the Wise Men from the East. These were also, and above all, men of courage, the courage and humility born of faith. Courage was needed to grasp the meaning of the star as a sign to set out, to go forth – towards the unknown, the uncertain, on paths filled with hidden dangers. We can imagine that their decision was met with derision: the scorn of those realists who could only mock the reveries of such men. Anyone who took off on the basis of such uncertain promises, risking everything, could only appear ridiculous. But for these men, inwardly seized by God, the way which he pointed out was more important than what other people thought. For them, seeking the truth meant more than the taunts of the world, so apparently clever.

For further reflection, James Taylor's Epiphany song, w/ accompanying images.

Merry 12th Day of Christmas (Epiphany 2025 in the US)

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Image: detail of a Neopolitan creche at the Art Institute of Chicago, photo shamelessly pinched from a friend's FB page

In Spain, most major cities have a parade on the eve of Epiphany.  Do yourself a favor and scroll through an X search on "Cabalgata de Reyes Magos." 


Merry Christmas, Day 11, Elizabeth Ann Seton 2025

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Image: Journey of the Magi, Sasseta, shamelessly pinched from the MET


The day's almost gone, but Merry Christmas nonetheless! 

Happy Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton, first American-born saint. 

And: Angels We Have Heard Down Low? 

Merry Christmas, Day 10 Jan 3, 2025

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Image: Adoration of the Magi, El Greco, shamelessly pinched from Wiki.


The Holy Name of Jesus falls today, for reasons of shifting the calendar around to accommodate the coming transfer of Epiphany. Did you know that hundreds of thousands of male members of the Holy Name Society used to march in parade through our largest cities from at least the 1920s into the 50s?  Not sure when they petered out, but Mr. W. recalls his male relatives marching back in the day.  (See Formerly Grey Lady coverage from 1935.)

I'm a convert, so what do I know?  But here is a today-astonishing speech to the Holy Name Society of Washington from Calvin Coolidge.  Must give up using the Lord's name in vain for the new year, because low speech makes men weak. 

More than six centuries ago, when in spite of much learning and much piety there was much ignorance, much wickedness and much warfare, when there seemed to be too little light in the world, when the condition of the common people appeared to be sunk in hopelessness, when most of life was rude, harsh and cruel, when the speech of men was too often profane and vulgar, until the earth rang with the tumult of those who took the name of the Lord in vain, the foundation of this day was laid in the formation of the Holy Name Society. It had an inspired purpose. It sought to rededicate the minds of the people to a true conception of the sacredness of the name of the Supreme Being. It was an effort to save all reference to the Deity from curses and blasphemy, and restore the lips of men to reverence and praise. Out of weakness there began to be strength; out of frenzy there began to be self-control; out of confusion there began to be order. This demonstration is a manifestation of the wide extent to which an effort to do the right thing will reach when it is once begun. It is a purpose which makes a universal appeal, an effort in which all may unite.

Very worth R-ing TWT. 

Merry Christmas! Day 9, Jan 2025

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Image: The Nativity of Christ, unknown artist from what is now India, around 1800 Shamelessly pinched from @HerreidJohn's X feed.


It's only Jan 2, not too late to get in on "....in a year" podcast action.  Something edifying for car, walk, or meal prep listening, in manageable chunks. 

The one that started it all: Bible in a Year 

New this year: 

Not new, but worthwhile: 


Books Read, 2024

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Scripture 

Matthew  
The Bible (following the Ascension Press Bible in a year reading plan) 

Popery 

Dilexit Nos

Professional & Devotional 

We Are All Bankers Now (pre-publication version) 


Book Club[s]

Herodotus: Histories , Greene trans. (well, through book V) 
In This House of Brede 

Just Felt Like It 

Shakespeare 

The Comedy of Errors
The Winter's Tale

Happy New Year 2025! Merry Christmas Day 8

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Image: The Holy Family, Henry Ossawa Tanner, shamelessly pinched from Muskegon Art Museum


This is sweet

Update: grim news of terror attacks in New Orleans and probably Las Vegas.  We can be glad at least that casualties were not even higher.  According to Raymond Arroyo, police found two explosive devices near the cathedral in the French Quarter and safely detonated them.